https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/29191692
I don’t even know what to think about this one. I’m not angry, more confused than anything. There’s only one mod there so i asked them, and they said “It’s against policy. It’s the abbreviations policy.”
I see no such policy anywhere, so who knows what’s going on. Is it only the NYT that can’t be abbreviated? What about the US? Is LOL forbidden too? And if so, why are we forbidden from laughing there!
They didn’t even remove the comment.
The mod is user qrstuv. Maybe the only abbreviation allowed is when they say one? That’s a power trip!
Unfortunately, you are likely wrong. “Abbreviation” — to my knowledge — is a borrow from French and simply means to shorten in time or length; nothing about words specifically, as you are suggesting.
“Abbreviation, N., Etymology.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/8875868501.
Pre-word meaning: “Abbreviation, N., Sense 1.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1149358652.
Word meaning: “Abbreviation, N., Sense 2.b.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/3259923213.
It’s worth noting that the OED is, in its nature, a descriptive dictionary; therefore, this rather general definition should be taken with a grain of salt.
The word may — indeed, as it is common — have a more specific meaning, as you suggest.Edit:
Nope, you were definitely wrong (this time a free dictionary!):
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “abbreviation”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Jun. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/abbreviation. Accessed 19 February 2025.
“Abbreviation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbreviation. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Im assuming snowwoman was correct, i didnt state the definition only used the argument i found